Sound record drive



5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed NOV: 14, 1945 Sept. 25, 1951 w. K. RIEBER souND RECORD DRIVE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1945 IIHIIIIIIIHI:`

Sept. 25, 1951 W. K. RIEBER SOUND RECORD DRIVE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 14, 1945 Sept 25, 1951 w. K. RIEBER l2,568,869

SOUND RECORD DRIVE Filed Nov. 14, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 25 21 m 33'/ n n n" JW, 9 @D e 27 INVENToR.

V/z /AM ,QM-552, as 64 ,4free/vin SePt- 25, 1951 W. K. RIEBER 2,568,869

SOUND RECORD DRIVE Filed NOV. 14, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 25, 1951 UNITED s SrATE-s "Para F Ffrcr;

- SOUNDV RECORD DRIVE William Klnieber, Losnngelea Calif. Application November 14,f1945\,- Serial N0.=628,449

9fClaims. .1

"My invention-relates generally: to phonographic recordingv and transcribing apparatus., wherein sound is recorded by rengraving, orembossing -with a vibrating stylus, a .spiral groovein a rotating disc-shaped recordiblank, Vand transcribed .therefrom by. tracing-the sound groove with a `stylus or needleymemberearried by atone. head.

vOne object of I the present invention is to pro- :vde' record driving` means ;suitable for use in recording and';transcribingafter the manner set "ffo'rth in the. above freferencedapplication.

, Another.; object ofmy .invention is to provide a vrecord drivinemeanst-for a sound recording'and transcribing; device which :employs a relatively 'f fixed engraving onembo'ssing;stylusgoperating:on arecord 'disc supportedby a; relatively movable record .supportingfmemberz adapted to move the record disc. past thes'r'stylus-in agc'ombinedro- "I tational' and rectilinearssmotion, 'whereby-to; produce a l.spiral l' soundlrgroovee; and :ginwhich @the 'f'fdesired rotational motion-ofvjthefrecordris `lobtained through'. directrengagement loi agcon stantspeed Arotational f'drive: memberawith .thefrecord Y the vdrive member being located.insuchnrelation tok the stylusA as toV eiectzconstantg-linear speed v of the :record surfacetfpastttherstylus.

It is additionally an object offmy. inventionto f provide a Vrecord ldrive .system suitable yfore devices of the classv described-1 which is particularly: suited to drive thin and7 relatively; flexible Vrecords and which maintains azjproper; operational; relationf ship between'the record and a' recording oir-.tranf scribing stylus regardless orwarpa'ge of: the -record 1: material.

YIt isastill furtherfzobject ofvfmyV invention; to provide a record'driveffof I the :classfdescribed .wherein the'tdrive torque is impartedthrough a transmission system whichincludes a, 4resilient member :whereby to fil-ter out undesirable `vibra- 'tory variations in 'drve'speed thusgproviding a 1 smoothz .uniform record -motion,: and-.minimizing A. distortion of the'recorded sound.

The-preferred: -forrnrofmyyinvention illustrated vherein comprises a; chassis carrying :a rotatably mounted lead-screw which islcontinuously4 en- .gaged by alleadznutiadapted to bermovedlongif2 y means operating against the vopposite"frecord j .surfacei to secure frictionalr engagement `ofl the -recordg'an'd drive means, .ag sound translating head whicl'iiinchides Stylus .meansi engageable 5 .withsaidfrecordgand auxiliary means for selec- F.tively,rotating rsaid lead-screw to eiect i a "con- .trolled translationof said, record with respectk vvto ,-saidsoundhe'a'd.

` .The normal. .operation off my device inV the `=production of a'sound trackon the record, or'the re'productionr of .sound therefrom involves Lthe rotation off thedisceshape'd; record, which rcauses rotationof.` the .records spindle Vwhich in .turn ef- ...fectslaerotation ofgthe; lead nutupon the lead 15, screw,thus-(producing combined rotational and rectilinear @InovernentlV of `the record past .the soundt head. Y=. Wheni.desired,1l.the operator may f rotate the .lead screw ,to effect. acontrolledrectilinear movementfofathe,.record wthrespect to 20.: said ,soundheadwherebyf any .defsired portion of the record .may bequekly brought.intraoperative l.engagementMithlthelstylus.

Other objects-.andadvantages of the. invention '..wiilv become` Iapparent l from l the, following defscriptionof a, preferred:embodimentthereof, and

' f from the: accompanying-drawings, in vvliiclizv i Figure f 1a isagpartiallwsectioned. plan .view of n'thendevice.' showing a record a. .position inter- ""media-te .f=between;.ithe Tvbeginningand y,end fof a recording.

` z Figure `2- is .1a. transverse isectionalyiew.. thereof takerr on ,the line 2v2; inffgure 1, Eigure .3 =is--. anotherg,transverse fsectional view utakenagonithe. fline 3-3 fin? Figures. l, "f Figure 4: is a. longitudinal sectional v iew-.taken Vv5on5' thefline' 4-.-rflf ir1.fFigure 3,

'i :Figurey 5 fis., a fperspectiveeview fozi a vibration f isolating; assembly l andaf-friction coupling, memi `'ber mounted" thereon, Y eFigure *6i-is; a1sectional;plan.Y view of; `theafriction coupling fmemberfshownl in- Eigure 5 j.taken on the s `lines-+6A inFigure 3,

.ia-fflligure. 'I iszza-n-fenlarged; detail :of aportion of hold-down portions of the device showing a second modified form of these portions,

Figure 12 is a transverse elevational view of the portions shown in Figure 11 and with a record in place, and

Figure 13 is a longitudinal View of the portions shown in Figure 11, taken on the line I3-I3 in Figure 12.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4 thereof, the numeral 20 indicates a chassis having a table 2l and a record supporting carriage 22 mounted on a horizontally disposed lead screw 23. The lead screw 23 is pivotally mounted at its ends in the chassis for free rotational movement. The carriage 22 carries a vertical spindle 25 provided with a record supporting hub 26 adapted to receive a record 21. The hub 26 is preferably provided with a central guide pin 26a adapted to pass through a centrally located opening in the record 21, and a radially spaced drive pin 2Gb adapted to enter a co-actingly positioned drive opening in the record 21.

The spindle 25 is rotatably mounted in the carriage 22 wherein a lead nut and suitable irreversible gearing is provided for continuous driving engagement with the lead screw 23 whereby rotation of spindle effects rectilinear motion of y the carriage 22 along the lead screw 23. Suitable auxiliary carriage positioning means such as a crank 28 and a gear 29 is mounted as by a shaft 30 to the chassis 20 and engaged as through a pinion 3l with the lead screw 23 to effect rotarecord 21 results in rectilinear motion of the carriage thereby producing the combination of motions required to produce the spiral record groove for the process of recording. Rectilinear motion without concurrent rotation of the record 21 such as is necessary for returning the carriage 22 after a recording or for setting of the record preparatory to transcribing a part thereof, is effected by rotating the lead screw in the desired direction by means of crank 28.

The record spindle 25 extends through a slot in the table 2 I, and the record supporting hub 26 is located above the table, as shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. The record 21 carried by the hub 26 is adapted to be rotated through the agency of a drive wheel 33 positioned to engage the lower surface of the record at the plane of the Vupper surface of the hub 26, said drive wheel 33 being mounted on a horizontal shaft 34 provided with bearings 35 and 35a supported in the chassis. At the outer end of the shaft 34 I provide a flywheel 36 adapted to be engaged by a friction-drive coupling 31 mounted on a bearing shaft 38 which is carried by an upper yoke 39 and a lower yoke 40 hinged thereto by a pin 4l. The lower yoke 40 is pivotally mounted to a vibrationisolating frame 42 which also carries a drive motor 43 having a drive drum 44 on the shaft thereof and in driving engagement with the coupling 31. As can be best seen in Figure 3, the articulated yoke mounting of the coupling 31 provides a floating drive and permits limited translatory motion of the coupling 31 in any directionin the plane of the drawing. The coupling is urged leftwardly and downwardly against the flywheel 36 and drive drum 44 by a tension spring 45 anchored to a pin 46 in the upper yoke at one end and to a projecting lug portion 41 of the frame 42 at the other.

The friction-drive coupling 31 in the present embodiment comprises a resilient torque sleeve 48 of rubber or comparable material (the term resilient being used herein to describe a material of yielding flexibility rather than the property of resiliency in its usual mechanical meaning), formed with a relatively large flange 49 on one end and a smaller flange 50 on its other end. The large flange 48 is preferably held between a washer 5| and the shoulder of a shouldered bearing 52 by screws 52a as seen best in Figure 6. A similar shouldered bearing 53 is secured in the other end of the torque sleeve 48, the bearings 52 and 53 rotatably supporting the coupling 31 on the shaft 38. The larger flange 49 frictionally engages the driving drum 44 and the smaller flange 50 engages the flywheel 36 to thereby drive the latter at a speed less than that of the shaft of motor 43.

The resilient drive coupling 31 serves to damp out unwanted vibrations and speed variations originating in the motor, the translatory vibrations being absorbed by deformation of the flanges 49 and 50 at their points of contact with the drive drum 44 and the flywheel 36, and by the previously mentioned floating action of the coupling; and the speed variations being equalized by twisting deformation of the torque sleeve 48.

In the method of vibration damping just described it is desirable to include an inertia element which is provided in the present device by the relatively heavy flywheel 36 -which resists accelerative forces such as vibration and speed changes, thus causing them to be absorbed in the coupling 31. A desireable feature achieved by this drive system is the uniform and constant moment of inertia introduced by the flywheel due to its constant speed of rotation. Constantlinear-speed recorders and transcribers previously used have made use of a record-bearing turn table as an inertia member and since to achieve constant linear speed, the speed of the turntable must vary as the record progresses, the momentof-inertia factor varied greatly being proportional to the square of the turntable speed. It will be noted further that vibrations are isolated and prevented from reaching the sound head or record by mounting all vibration generating members such as the motor 43, the coupling 31 and its mounting yokes 39 and 40 on the vibration isolating frame 42 which is in turn secured to the table 2l and a bracket 54 by shock mounts 55, 56, and 51 of rubber or similar vibrationabsorbent material.

The drive system just described produces smooth, steady, and quiet rotation of the flywheel 36 and hence the drive wheel 33 mounted on the same shaft therewith. In order to maintain a suflicient and uniform degree of frictional engagement between the drive-wheel 33 and the record 21 hold-down means operating on the upper surface of the record may be provided by any one of several means. I prefer to employ a roller 58 pivotally mounted in `ball bearings 59 and 60 held in the forward end of a frame member 6l which is hinged at its rearward end on a support shaft 62 for downwardly swinging motion above the record. It will be seen from an examination of Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and particularly '1 wherein the hold-down roller 58 and its mounting details are shown, that the position of the frame 6l and the roller therein is such that the -etA-fengages the undersidefofeframefs-i, lifting/im andthe rollerv` 53= from the'vreco'rd 21e therebyV ref-=-nroving therfr'ictionalengagement pressurelfand ffalsoipermitting the'removal andhreplaeementf-of records.

. The frame' I, inaddition-to carrying the re'cordilfg snai-as a, weight@ `the'buridjhada.."fre. :as with. the hold-@wn rller', thei'piivtal f'fmounting ofthe sound head' permitsthestvlus t 68to follow* irregularities" infthe re"y a;ccin'rno'dates the device to 'varifusfjthilres'ses A`-of recordsand various lengths'fof Astyli.

"fAn "alternate "form vf'y Vh5ld"'-'c1fovvxfiih'' "h''iay fb'eeinpipyed on' the device' is uistiatdrinr'igpre agggand iogand lmakesu'sof'a,hat; o n fionotating jewel button""fgate,f m 11e; or 'i1a1hardniateria1- 'g'rhebut'tmi tous highly i .polished-'on' its yunder sufracetcipfvt 'scratch- 1-1gof the record Z'IQand'ismb'ihte'cT Dy'- c'xient- "ing'r other' sitajbimeansftotng 'fro eng of a Vfpw'vjardiy'projectingnat"leaf springt# l. The ""spg'Tl ri'ntdto the L-shaped bracket 64 which projects to the left from the operating lever 63. When the V`lever 63 is in its lowered position, -as'seen best in'Figure 10 ,fthe 'jewelf f1 0'iis==pessed against the upper surface foflthef recordwf'the urgingof the springT Iforcingfthe lrecord 21 into frictional engagement with the drivewheel 33. Y-In the present embodiment the lever 'vfisr'ein- 'vf'fordbv having uari additional. arm '12"f` tened lite it extending"rearwardly? iid pix/grad? the 'lsupport shaft' v'62. Ihe ffo'rward end .offthe '-levr iciries'aHat'detentspringifl mounted o the sid e} thereof Y. and adapted to; engagey one ofv two -j-slots 13oand 14h Iin a housing-15 fonfthe'fpurpose `rtv-heel) 33` 'and permits changing-of records 'lower- I ng v'fof .theleverffbiings' the' disc 16i"itofrolling @pressure contact with-the record-fthedisc.rotating' counter-'clockwiseasf Viewedf'in l*Figure 1l. i135 ':It` is 'desirable lin transcription devices-'of--fthe class l'described, particularly \-wlhen used-#for VTK'stenographv that the'equiprnent be adaptedr to yf's'top'f'and'f start atirequent lintervals during vf-:the F transcription off records therewith f and that @such Mlfst'ops andY starts be accomplished'with a minimum deceleration and' acceleration period thus to-avoid f loss 1f of f intelligible speech. This object is kbest vv@attained by= reducing-the moment of inertial to `Vra-minimum value required for-smooth operation. IIt will1beseen Vthat theapparatus described "therein meets t*the 'just-stated `requirement n"by Obviat'mg the-necessity of a record-'bearingturnuftable which in' previous vdevicesvofA this Vnature-has "introduced afv factor of excessive and vnon-uniform moment of inertia. The moment-ofinertia. of thefdrivefsystem:in-the present device can be further reduced-by virtue' of the novel-1f resilient ff-coupling=usedin the transmission.

Whi-lea'the; particular apparatus herein shown ffand describedin detail is 4fullyl capable of attainlfing the objectsvand providingthe advantages hereinbeforeH stated,v itl is 'toyhe'funderstood that tfffisimerelyillustrative of presently preferred embodiments ofA my inventionfand-that I do' not meanito--limitfmyself tothe Vdetails-otconstruc- .wgtiomer design-hereinlshownffother than as denedirrthe' appended claims.

Iv claim: i 1fv -In'phonographic `apparatus of the classl de- -scrihed-wand including a v friction--drive @-w-heel V,f-d'irectzlyengaged with a-soundrecordf-a power ffsourceforf'said drive -w-heell comprising inv-com- Vfbinationr va motor; a frictionwdrve drumfon-the -fshaftf-pfjf=said `motor and` rotatingv therewith; a 0? flywheel cov--axiallyy connected' lto f'said drive v`wheel Y'-"forwrotation therewith; =a --vibration Vabsorbing l-i:1faiis11iiss.ion memberimountedfor rotation on a non-rotating shaft, constructed Vof.#.nasi-lient1y :'lsfiexiblef mater-m1, and formed' as` a torquev sleeve tot retaining it either in;fitsffupperfdisengaged 75lmemberhav-ing `frictiondrivinglangesfomeach by absorption .thereof Abination: a motor;

end thereof, one adapted to engage said 'drive drum, and the other adapted to engage said-flywheel whereby .to transmit rotary. power from said motor to said friction drive wheel and to eliminate vibration and abrupt speedvvariations in said transmission member.

2. .In phonographic apparatus of the class `described and including a friction-drive wheel directly engaged with a sound record, a .power source for said drive wheel comprising in coma friction drive drumA on the shaft of said motor and rotating therewith; a flywheel co-axially connected to said drive wheel for rotation therewith; and a rotating, resiliently flexible coupling member having friction drive flanges thereon; articulate mounting means for said coupling member permitting vibrationmotivated, translator-y, floating movement of said coupling member in a plane perpendicular to theaxis of rotation thereof; and spring means urging said flanges into frictional driving engagewhereby to transmit rotary power from said motor to said friction drive wheel and to eliminate vibration and abrupt speed variations by absorption thereof in said coupling member and said articulate mounting means.

3. In phonographic apparatus of the class described and including a friction-drive wheel;l directly engaged with a sound record, a power source for said drive wheel comprising in combination: a flywheel co-axially connected tov said drive wheel for rotation therewith; a vibration isolating frame suspended in said apparatus byf-: resiliently flexible shock-mounts; a motor mounted on said frame; a drive drum mounted on the shaft of said motor for rotation therewith; articulate mounting means supported by said frame; a resiliently flexible rotary coupling hav-3- lil ing friction driveflanges thereon mounted for rotation in said articulate mounting means; spring means anchored to said frame and urging said flanges into frictional driving engagement with said drive drum and said flywheel whereby to transmit rotary power from said motor to said friction drive wheel and to eliminate vibration and abrupt speed variations by absorption thereof in said coupling, articulate mounting, and shock mounts. 50

4. In a friction drive assembly of the class described, a vibration absorbing member comprising: a sleeve portion of flexible resilient material; and a pair of cylindrical friction drive rollers formed on the ends of said sleeve portion, said drive rollers being coaxial with `said sleeve portion whereby said member is adapted to transmit rotary power by engaging one of said rollers with a rotating drive member and the other of said rollers with a rotatable driven member.

5. In a friction drive assembly of the class described, a vibration absorbing member com.- prising: a sleeve portion of flexible resilient material; a pair of bearings secured in spaced relation Within said sleeve portion whereby to permit the same to rotate on a flxed shaft; and a pair of cylindrical friction drive rollers formed on the ends of said sleeve portion, said drive rollers being coaxial with said sleeve portion whereby said member is adapted to transmit rotary power by engaging one of said rollers with a rotating drive member and the other of said rollerswith a rotatable driven member. Y

6. In a friction drive assembly ofthe class de- Y scribed, a vibration absorbing member-comprising: a sleeve portion oi.' flexible resilient material: a pair lof cylindrical friction drive rollers formed '.on the ends of said sleeve portion, said drive rollers being coaxial with said sleeve portion whereby said member is adapted to transmit rotary power by engaging one of said rollers with a rotating drive member and the other of said rollers with a rotatable driven member; and flange means secured to the sides of one of said friction rollers whereby to support the same when in operative position.

7. In a friction drive assembly of the class described, a vibration absorbing member comprising: a sleeve portion of flexible resilient material; and a pair of cylindrical friction drive rollers formed on the ends of said sleeve portion, said drive rollers being coaxial with said sleeve portion whereby said member is adapted to transmit rotary power by engaging one of said rollers with a rotating drive member and the other of said rollers with a rotatable driven member, and said drive rollers being of different diameters whereby to effect a change in speed of rotation between said drive and driven members.

8. In phonographic apparatus of the class described and including a friction-drive wheel and a sound record disc directly engaged therewith, a power source for said drive wheel comprising in combination: a motor having a rotating friction drive member; a flywheel coaxially connected to said drive wheel for rotation therewith; and a rotating, resiliently flexible coupling member frictionally engaged for rotary power transmission with said drive member and with said flywheel whereby to eliminate mechanical vibration and abrupt speed variations originating in said motor by absorption thereof in said coupling means.

9. In phonographic apparatus of the class described and including a friction-drive wheel and a sound record disc directly engaged therewith, a power source for said drive wheel comprising in combination: a flywheel coaxially connected to said drive wheel for rotation therewith; a vibration isolating frame suspended in said apparatus by resiliently flexible shock-mounts; a motor mounted on said frame, said motor having a rotating friction drive member; articulate mounting means supported by said frame; a resiliently flexible rotary coupling having friction drive flanges mounted for rotation in said articulate mounting means; spring means anchored to said frame and urging said flanges into frictional driving engagement with said drive drum and said flywheel whereby to transmit rotary power from said motor to said frictionv drive wheel and to eliminate vibration and abrupt speed variations by absorption thereof in said coupling, articulate mounting, and shock mounts.

. WILLIAM K. RIEBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,508,827 Valiquet Sept. 16, 1924 2,029,730 Mellina Feb. 4, 1936 2,261,889 Schneider Nov. 4, 1941 2,296,871 Proctor Sept. 29, 1942 2,318,627 Proctor May 11, 1943 2,318,628 Proctor May 11, 1943 v2,340,806 Green Feb. 1, 1944 v2,345,148 Proctor Mar. 28,1944 

